Court ask illegal occupant of a house to vacate

New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Monday asked a man to vacate the house allotted to his father by a Dalit society in Kingsway Camp in north Delhi.Justice S.N. Dhingra asked the present occupant of the house not only vacate the house but also pay the rent for the past 24 years and 4 months to the Harijan Sevak Sangh, the owners of the property.

He was also asked to pay Rs.50,000 as cost of litigation.

The society had allotted the house to H. Kameshwar, who worked with it. Upon his death March 13, 1982, his son was given the father’s job and also the house.

But the son resigned from the job July 13, 1984, and did not vacate the house.

The society after serving several notices to the family moved a lower court and won the case in 2001.

The occupants appealed against the lower court order in a trial court that dismissed the plea in 2002. They then moved high court.

The high court observed that “all the family members are highly placed officials and occupying a house illegally for the past 24 years is a matter of shame.”

“I direct them to vacate the house immediately or else be ready to pay the rent at the rate of Rs.10,000,” Justice Dhingra said.

The court also asked Delhi Police to make sure that the order is complied with within 30 days.

“Because of these frivolous petitions, the court almirahs are burdened with. Our justice delivery system is being hampered,” the judge said.

“It is the duty of the court to see that wrong-doers are discouraged at earlier stages so that they don’t play with the judicial system anymore.”